


The Sweeter Side of Evil

by CutthroatPrince



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Eventual Romance, Evil Albus Dumbledore, F/M, I don't know what I'm doing, Seduction to the Dark Side, in my head anyway
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-05-18
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:28:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24021343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CutthroatPrince/pseuds/CutthroatPrince
Summary: Maeve Potts has lived the first twelve years of her life believing she was alone. If not for the fact that she could speak to snakes, she would never have taken the letter that arrived at her orphanage seriously. Now thrust into a world of magic, Maeve quickly befriends the Boy Who Lived. But things are happening behind the gates of Hogwarts that no one could expect. Will the trio accept their new found Slytherin friend? Or will she turn against them and help the Dark Lord rise again?
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	1. First Meeting

"Maeve." The sweet singsong voice lulls me out of sleep. What time is it? Whoever is trying to wake me better have a darn good reason. I groan turn onto my other side. Away from the voice.

Someone starts gently pushing me and I almost fall back asleep. My mistake.

"Maeve!" My blankets are ripped off my suddenly cold body, forcing me to open my eyes. 

"Lucy!" I whine, seeing the other eleven-year-old running away with my blankets. "How could you?"

I glare at her retreating figure, willing it to set on fire for waking me up. I sigh. Might as well stand up. I jump out of bed and tip toe to the door. Seeing no one, I silently make my way downstairs.

Near the dining room, raucous laughter fills my ears. It is cut short by a sharp noise cutting through the air and a screechy voice yelling at the children to be quiet. I wait a few seconds, then pop my head into the room and scan my eyes over the surroundings. Mrs. Cobbinshaw seems to be gone for now, so I hurry inside and take my place at the table.

I look around at the fallen faces of my fellow orphans. I try to think of something to say to cheer them up. Coming up blank, I say the only thing that can be of some comfort.

"At least you didn't get a beating," I whisper.

"Shut up." I look Lucy in the eyes, seeing the mark already starting to take shape on her cheek. I scan her up and down, noticing my blanket still over her head. Except for her face, the rest of her seems fine. So according to me she got off easily.

I shrug and dig into my stale porridge. Yesterday's leftovers by the taste of it. I shove as much into my mouth as possible before the spoon is slapped out of my hand. Next thing I know, Mrs. Cobbinshaw's shrill voice begins preaching me about my manners.

"Miss Potts! Your lack of etiquette is beyond me. Since you do not have the decency to wait for the rest of us, you can wash dishes alone tonight." She glares down at me through two tiny slits for eyes and reading glasses. I do not really know why she wears them, it's not like she can read.

I hold in a sigh biting off my unruly retort and smile. “Yes Mrs. Cobbinshaw." I manage to say it without sounding annoyed at all. Yay to me!

"You are excused." I look at the scarecrow figure in front of me, feigning confusion. "Since you decided to start eating without us, I believe that you have already had your fill. No more breakfast for you. Go to your room!" 

My stomach decides to rumble at that exact moment, contradicting her words. I slowly push out my chair. Very slowly. Rush up the stairs to my room and slam the door shut. Feeling her triumphant gaze on me all the way up.

Joke's on her. I rush to the windowsill to see if Narcos is in his cage. He is, leaving me time to continue reading ‘The Complete Book of Household Pranks’.

Half an hour later, soft knocks come from the bedroom door. I begrudgingly stand up and open it a few inches. Lucy is standing on the other side holding up my blanket.

"Here you go!" She beams. She shoves me out of the way and then continues to make my bed. I know the routine by now and make my way to her bed. Giving her time to clean our room. Sitting down I listen silently as she rambles on. "Mrs. Cobbinshaw said that you and I should head out to the market today, buy some more food. 'Some bread would suffice', she said. Honestly! That woman would starve us to death if she could." Now finished making my bed, Lucy heads to the wardrobe we share. "What would you like to wear on this fine summer morning?" She looks at me, but I stay silent. She looks back at the wardrobe and takes out a purple sweatshirt. She studies it a moment longer then nods. "Oh yes. This will go very nicely with your green eyes."

We quickly finish up and run out the front door. We run all the way to the baker where we greet him and buy a fresh loaf of bread. It costs a few pennies more than one of the older loaves, but since it's my birthday (I doubt Cobbinshaw even remembers) I think we might as well. I will take the blame if --no, when-- we get in trouble. We lazily head to the market in no hurry to get back to the orphanage.

Lucy skips ahead of me, her dark curls bobbing around her head. By the time we reach the orphanage it is already past midday. Lucy looks at me with fearful eyes. I sigh. Understanding her non-verbal communication, I nod. She disappears without a word leaving me to fend for myself against the wicked witch of the orphanage.

I creep up to the witch's lair--also known as the sitting room. Her cackling beats against my eardrums and I hesitantly enter the room.

There is another elderly woman sitting on the couch beside Mrs. Cobbinshaw. The old hag is trying to entertain the guest with old jokes. I label the woman as a prospective adopter, that is the only reason Cobbinshaw would even try to be kind to anyone.

I clear my throat to make my presence known. The elderly woman looks at me with surprising warmth in her eyes that makes me stop completely in my tracks.

"Ah, Maeve. There you are." My eyes snap to Mrs. Cobbinshaw. Did she just call me by my first name? Strange. "This is Professor McGonagall. She would like to speak to you, Maeve. Would anyone like some tea?" And with that, Mrs. Cobbinshaw walks out of the room without waiting for an answer. 

This leaves me alone with our visitor. I stare at her warily, the loaf of bread forgotten in my hands.

"Happy birthday, miss Potts." She says with kindness. I gape at her. How did she know it was my birthday? This stranger, whom I have never met before. "I realise you must be a little cautious, but I came to deliver a letter." She extends a hand, when I see the faint green envelope, I drop my package and gingerly take it between my hands.

There is a logo on the front with animals on it. A lion, badger, eagle and snake don the logo. The letter is addressed to me from some sort of school.

Professor McGonagall looks at me expectantly, so I take out the letter and read it. 

It is an acceptance letter to an old school called Hogwarts. They say it is for witches and wizards, but that is impossible. 

"This may come as a shock to you, Maeve. But I promise you the contents of this letter are completely true. You are indeed a witch." McGonagall says, as if reading my thoughts. Huh. "Hogwarts is a place where you can safely learn to harness your talents. If you choose to accept, you will live there for the duration of the school year."

You mean to say I can escape this horrid place? I want to say. I think of Cobbinshaw punishing us with her favourite whip. Instead, I state the only logical answer.

"I accept."

I was going to Hogwarts. 

-~-

I was lounging on my bed flicking through pages of a magazine under a flashlight. Lucy was on her bed looking up at the ceiling. Lights out was an hour ago, but neither of us felt like sleeping. There was too much we needed to discuss.

"Are you really leaving?" Lucy asks.

"I guess I am." It still hasn't exactly sunk in since my conversation with the professor this afternoon. "Hogwarts is some sort of boarding school for witches and wizards. Did you know you can only be born as one? Not turned rotten into one like our dear Mrs. Cobbinshaw." 

I hear Lucy giggle and feel a pang of guilt for leaving her alone with Cobbinshaw. I was really going to miss my best friend.

"The professor I met earlier today is going to come get me tomorrow, she said we had to go buy my school supplies." My friend's face falls, so I quickly add, "It's only for the day though. I'm staying here till the start of term in September."

Lucy becomes all excited about the prospect of shopping. She orders me to buy her a gorgeous new dress if possible. I laugh at her and say we would need to be able to afford it first. We spend the rest of the night imagining what it would be like if we had all the money in the world we could ever need. We also continue creating our impossible escape plan, laughing at the obscure retreat we have planned. That is, until Mrs. Cobbinshaw bursts into our room promising pain if she had to come in here again.

I wince at the thought, knowing all too well what was waiting in the cupboard. Effectively shutting us up, she glares at us from behind a pointed nose and stomps off.

I lie in my bed, not sleeping an inch, until the first rays of sunlight hit our window. I climb out of bed and make my way towards it. Looking out I see a few early birds flapping about trying to find the juiciest worm of the day. I suspect they are rather looking for breadcrumbs somewhere, for the only ground in a ten-mile radius was paved.

The sight plays out serenely in front of me and I cannot help but sigh. Oh, what easy lives the birds have. All they need to worry about is food for their families. Probably also safety. I grin as I watch Narcos, the neighbour's pet snake, slither out the window. He is always escaping, looking for a juicy, fat birdie to fill his tummy. 

"Back to your cage, Narcos." I order him in Snakonese. Of course, he doesn't listen, but I know how to get him to do my bidding. "Narcos." Still, he decidedly ignores me. "Don't make me set you on fire," I threaten. 

He looks up. I swear I could feel his skin radiate fear. He says nothing and slithers back into his cage without trying to snag one of my birdie friends.

I hear Lucy's blankets ruffle and turn to look at her. "Maeve, were you talking to the snake again?" She stares at me through dark lashes and I grin, nodding. "Well, shut up. Some of us are trying to sleep you know." She turns her back on me and a few seconds later I hear her soft snores filling the room.

I suppose I should find it strange that I can talk to snakes. I have been doing it for as long as I can remember. I like to think it is just my imagination running wild. Either way, by now, it is become my normal.

I quietly get dressed, making sure not to disturb Lucy. I slip out of the room fully dressed in my favourite jeans and Lucy's pretty t-shirt. I will thank her later, after she yells at me, that is. The selfish little brat.

Mrs. Cobbinshaw is passed out on the couch in the living room with the television still on, the remote stuck in her claw like fingers. Luckily, this allows me to roam the kitchen without fear of being caught.

I scavenge the fridge for something to eat. It does not take long: there's nothing edible. The loaf we bought yesterday is no more. It was a great treat though. Unfortunately, just as I suspected, Cobbincrow did not appreciate my sentiment. I got three lashes on my hands after the professor left. The marks are still visible; therefore I'm covering them with leather gloves Bella didn't want. 

Bella is another orphan a few years older than me. She mostly keeps to herself, but when the situation calls for it, she'll stand up against Cobbinshaw and save our necks. 

"What are you looking for?" I whip my head around to find James leaning against the doorframe.

"What are you doing here?" I retort.

The brown-haired boy points to the stove. "It's my turn to cook." He comes over to stand in front of me, then bends downward to look me in the eye. "You, on the other hand, are supposed to be asleep. What are you doing here?"

I think of a response. Any response. "I'm here to help you cook." I end up saying. 

James grins. "Liar."

I frown. "What? You don't believe I'm here out of the goodness of my heart?"

"What goodness?" He laughs. "I know you came looking for food. But since you are here, you will now help me prepare breakfast."

"With what? Mould?"

James sniggered and walked to the pantry. I followed and helped him find our porridge pot. We used what porridge we had and spiced it up a little. Hopefully, no one will notice the green spots starting to form in the porridge. 

Breakfast was a joyous affair. Mostly because Cobbinshaw was still passed out on the couch. We played a game of trying to determine the age of our porridge. James lead a small group of us over to the couch, we then tried to count the number of freckles on Cobbinshaw’s face. Every time she twitched, we raced out of the room, roaring with laughter. But quickly shutting up and hoping we did not wake her.

Too soon, Professor McGonagall was standing in front of the building, waiting to take me to Diagon Alley.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Thanks for reading to the end! I do not know what I am doing. But I had an idea and am motivated enough to continue writing. Of course your love and support will help to keep me motivated! :)
> 
> Leave kudos and comment if you liked. I will update soon with the chapter when Maeve finally goes to Diagon Alley and even meets a few important main characters!


	2. The Leaky Cauldron

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's meet Harry!

We made our way to a little pub on the street corner you would not look twice at. The Leaky Cauldron was a quaint old place filled with witches and wizards. There was a buzz in the air and people were whispering to each other. Professor McGonagall starts making her way to the back wall, examining it, but before she can do anything the landlord comes up to her.

"Guess who was just here Minerva!"

"I do not have the time to find out, Wallensby." The professor suddenly opens a hidden door in the wall and is on the move again. I laugh at the man's shocked expression which brings his gaze down to me. I do not like his lingering eyes and quickly run to McGonagall, falling into step behind her.

"Where are we going?" I ask.

"There is someone you need to meet, miss Potts. We will be joining them at Gringots, the 'wizarding bank', she says. At that moment I see a large burly man leave a gorgeously decorated building, a young boy about my age at his side.

I stare in wonder at the giant of a man, accidentally walking into McGonagall when we stop in front of him. They greet each other warmly, giving me the impression, they most definitely know each other.

My gaze slowly drifts to the boy at the man's side. I frown slightly. He is staring at me and it's like looking at an uglier version of myself. We have the same messy, brown hair, mine is just longer and tied back in a ponytail. We have the same colour eyes: forest green. They would have been beautiful to look at, if not for the broken circular glasses he was wearing. 

"... And this is Harry Potter. It's a pleasure ter meet you, Maeve." I catch the end of the sentence and look up at the grinning giant.

"It is a pleasure to meet you too." I smile sweetly, hoping he would not realise I did not hear his name. I am guessing he already told me, so I am not going to ask him. 

"Right, Maeve. I hope yer don’t mind spendin’ the day with me and Harry. Shall we go get yer school supplies?" Harry's head whips to the bushy bearded man. I suppose he was just as much in the dark as I was. I look around for Professor McGonagall, but she is nowhere to be seen. She did mention she was very busy today, I guess she slipped away to do her business.

I do not put much thought into it and instead strike up a conversation with Harry. We start walking to who knows where. Okay, so I admit. The conversation was just me asking Harry questions and him answering. 

"How old are you?" I ask.

"Eleven." Same age.

"Where have you been staying all this time?"

"With my uncle and aunt."

"Does that mean your parents aren't around?"

He hesitates for a second. "They're dead, Maeve."

A twinge of sadness fills my gut. He was an orphan, just like me. The sadness disappears soon after. There really is not anything for me to mourn about them. I do not remember anything about my parents.

"How did they die?" I continue my interrogation. 

Harry loos at me exasperated, "I don't know Maeve. I sort of just found out this morning that I've been believing a lie all my life."

I want to ask him what lie, but the giant stops in front of a shop, bringing us to a halt.

"Alright. I thought Maeve could have her robe fitted while we get yer wand, Harry. And then we'll switch places. Maeve will get her wand while you fit yer robe." 

"What am I supposed to pay with?" I ask. Harry takes a moment to think about something then hands me money from his pockets. My eyes go wide at the strange currency, and even wider at the amount.

Harry sees my expression and explains. "Mum and dad were both sorcerers. This is what they left me. I’ve got plenty." I nod in awe and enter Madam Malkin's Robes without another thought.

Harry and the giant continue walking and soon I lose sight of them. Madam Malkin enters the quiet room and looks me up and down. After I affirm that I'm going to Hogwarts, she ushers me onto a pedestal and starts taking measurements. 

Not long a after, a boy with white blond hair enters. His eyes flick over to me and dart away. He ignores me for the rest of our short little time together.

When Madam Malkin is done, I pay and collect my new robes. The material is soft and unlike anything I have ever owned. Guess I should go get my wand.

Unsure where to go, I go to the boy, hoping he can give me directions. "Uh, excuse me. Sorry to bother you. My name is Maeve. I was just wondering whe--"

"Does the name Malfoy ring a bell?" He interrupts me. "The name's Draco. I hope you have a good reason for bothering me."

"Of course, I do! I simply wanted directions to the wand shop. Your mighty highness." I say spitefully.

"If you don't know, then you must really be stupid." He frowns. "Or you must be a mud blood. If you are, then you are most certainly not worth my time." His nose crinkles in disgust as he looks at me from behind his nose.

I may not know who this twerp is, but I know enough to think someone should teach him some manners! "Do you know where the shop is or not?" I fume. What did he even mean with mud blood?

"Just look for Olivander's. Not even an idiot like you can miss it." He looks away, signalling that our little exchange was over. I stomp out of the shop. Unable to hide my anger at the jerk.

I head off in the direction Harry and the oaf were headed, soon finding the shop called Olivander's. Harry was just coming out, wearing a strange expression on his face. He doesn't even notice me and walks straight past me.

Luckily, the giant sees me and smiles. "There ya are, Maeve. I see you found the place with no problem. Just head inside, we'll meet you here. Wait for us this time, will you?" He twinkles.

I giggle and head in. The guy ain't that bad. I hope I can ask Harry what his name is before I need to use it. The shop smell of dust and is filled to the brim with tiny boxes.

A small man comes to me from behind the counter. “Are you here to find your first wand, are you?” I nod. The man disappears into the backroom for a moment then returns with a small box in his hands. “Why don’t you give it a flick?” He opens the box to reveal a wand. I take it gingerly and do as he says. 

A pile of tiny boxes on the counter in front of crash to the ground. The man, who I assume to be Ollivander, shakes his head and retrieves the wand. I stand still while waiting for him to come back with another tiny box. My eyes are still wide, slightly shocked at the magic I displayed. 

Mr. Ollivander returns and gives me a different wand. I give it a flick as well and this time the result is vastly different. Rays of light come out from the point of the wand. I grin. 

“English oak with a Phoenix feather core. Thirteen inches with supple flexibility. A fine wand, indeed!” The spindly man smiles down at me. I thank him for the wand, pay him and rush out the door.

I wait outside the building for Harry. I'm filled with giddiness and take out my wand to look at it. I must say, I am rather happy with what I got. The handle fits perfectly and I can't help but wish I knew a few spells. I'm bursting with joy by the time Harry shows up.

I smile at him. He smiles back. "Look at what I got" I say, showing him my wand. He nods, approving. He takes out his wand and shows it to me. I take his wand, twirling it between my fingers. It's almost as beautiful as mine, I decide.

"Phoenix feather for a core. Yours?" He asks.

"Same." I give him back his wand. I realise that the giant isn't around us and look for him. Harry seems to realise the same since he's turning a full circle looking for the guy. We spot him a few feet away walking determinedly to some other place. We start heading towards him, unknown to us our destination. "What's his name?" I ask.

"Who?" Harry looks at me. I stare at the giant; Harry follows my gaze. "Oh, that's Hagrid."

Hagrid. The name suits him. I smile and skip the rest of the way. Harry laughs at me but does not skip. His laughter warms my heart, making me hope that we can build a lasting relationship. I have never had a real family before. I hope this can be the start of something special.

The next shop we enter is filled with books. Harry and I get all the necessary items we will need for school. We make jokes all the way to the next shop. There are so many animals in it, I cannot imagine how they all fit in the small place.

Apparently, we are supposed to have owls for school. I cannot fathom why. Harry chooses a white owl with black markings on her. He names her Hedwig and smiles. My owl is a brown barn owl. She won't stop making noise, so I decide the only fitting name is Hoot. She hoots a little more in response; I like to think this is her agreeing with me.

We are just about to leave the shop when a pair of glowing green eyes catch my attention. The black kitten looks all alone in his cage, making me all sympathetic. I want to buy him. I really do. I try to look away, but I am stuck gazing into his soulful eyes. I think about how Mrs. Cobbinshaw would act if I ever came home with an animal. She would probably have a heart attack.

This brings a smile to my face. I am already bringing an owl home, might as well get a kitten too. I figure it can’t do any more damage than a large bird who won't shut up. I pay for the kitten, nearly crying as a huge chunk of gifted money is gone in an instant.

Soon after we are walking back to the Leaky Cauldron. Robes on, wands in our pockets, books in our hands and owls in their cages. I also have a black kitten in my pocket. I haven't given him a name yet. Nothing I could come up with seemed to fit the lazy cat. The lady at the desk said he was intelligent and spirited. I hope he just had to warm up to me, because so far, he was only with me in spirit.

Harry and I have been talking nonstop. I find out he has been living with the Dursleys, who, according to him, aren't as bad as they sound. In turn I tell him about the orphanage and Mrs. Cobbinshaw. He wants to know all about my friends, so I tell him about James and Lucy.

I tell him all about the mischief we've been up to during the years. His favourite story is about the time I accidentally set the neighbour's snake on fire. 

The story goes as follows. Lucy and I were sitting on the window ledge in our room. We listened to the chirping of the birdies while I showed her which ones I had named. We were listening to the song the chirping choir created. When all of a sudden, the lead singer became silent with an audible screech. We frantically looked around for the bird, but only saw Narcos where the lead singer was usually perched. A visible bump under his smooth scaly skin. Boy was I mad! He just ate my favourite bird. He was going to pay for his insolence. I stared intently at the snake, willing it to set on fire. The next thing I know, Narcos' whole body was aflame! Luckily, the shock broke my concentration, saving Narcos from any real damage. But I think the memory of his burning body never left his mind.

Upon entering the Leaky Cauldron, chattering dies out. I'm confused for a moment, but then realise everyone is looking at Harry. I look at him too, wondering what this is about.

He looks uncomfortable, but that's understandable. People start standing up and come to greet him, as if he is some celebrity. Harry goes beetroot red making me laugh at his expression. 

"See you soon?" Harry looks at me.

"Definitely." I grin from ear to ear. I can't wait to see my new friend again. Harry quickly races out of the room the moment he is given the chance, Hagrid following in his wake.

Looking around the Leaky Cauldron, I spot Professor McGonagall talking to the landlord. She notices my presence and finishes up her conversation. Afterward, she takes me home and makes me promise that she will see me at Hogwarts in September. 

I do so with ease. After entering the orphanage, I am attacked with hugs from all the other children. They want to know what I've been up to and, grinning mischievously, I show them the animals I bought.

We spend all my time unpacking gathering ideas for how to prank Cobbinshaw. I let them talk but know I won't allow them near my pets. Not after all the terrible ideas they just conjured from their minds.

I go to bed with a smile on my face. I can see Lucy struggling to keep her questions to herself. I will let her interview me tomorrow, but for now I'm just going to ignore her curious eyes. 

Suffice to say, this is the best I've slept in a long, long time.

The next few months are used to prepare for my time at Hogwarts. I don't want to seem like a complete nincompoop on my first day. Besides, it keeps me busy and Cobbinshaw happy, since I don't spend my days making life hard for her. 

I still want to though, so I study potions and hexes during all my spare time, keeping an eye out for anything that can be used against the evil incarnated Cobbinshaw.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aight so I am open to constructive criticism! If you have any tips or plot ideas feel free to share :))


	3. Entering Hogwarts

On the morning of 1 September, I was up bright and early checking and rechecking my luggage.

Breakfast was swift with a few rushed goodbyes. Mrs. Cobbinshaw was in a foul mood, with having to pay for a taxi to take me to the train station. I mean, how could she, the shining ray of hope in each of our sorry little lives, be forced to spend another penny on unthankful pests? In other words, us orphans.

The taxi driver didn't even bat an eye at my strange luggage, something I must appraise him for. We did not talk at all during the ride and he only helped me put my luggage on a trolley before he drove off again.

So there I was. Pushing my very heavy trolley up and down platforms, looking for platform nine and three quarters, which by then I was pretty sure did not exist.

After about the seventh time of pushing my trolley up and down, I finally give up. I suppose you think I gave up too soon, but you must remember that I had a screeching owl drawing a lot of attention and luggage weighing more than I did!

I huffed in frustration, wondering what I am supposed to do. Mrs. Cobbinshaw most definitely was not coming to pick me up and the orphanage was too far for me to walk.

I looked around, desperately trying to find some way out of my situation.

There. Was that Draco? There it was again! I searched frantically for the white tuft of hair I saw, hoping I was right about its owner.

"Draco!" I yelled, pushing through the crowds of people until I see a family of snobbish looking people with fancy clothing. Found him.

And boy, was I glad I did! 

Draco was staring at me with an unreadable expression. The man who I assumed was his father looked at me with utter disgust. "Sorry to be a bother, I was just hoping you could help me find platform 9 3/4." They stayed silent. "I suppose it's too much to ask for a few directions?" I shot at Draco.

Draco was about to reply when his father spoke up. "Is Hogwarts really allowing such filth to roam it's halls nowadays?" He looked me up and down. "You ought to learn some manners, child. Do you even know who you are speaking to?"

I know I should have kept my mouth shut. I know I should not have let my anger run away with me. But I couldn't help it. "Malfoy. The name's Malfoy. Why it holds such importance only you would know."

Mr. Malfoy grabbed his son's arm and turned to me. "You will pay for this." He fumed. I had no doubt in my heart that his words were true, but all I could think about was how well he and Cobbinshaw would get along.

Draco and his father walked away from me. I watched them with keen eyes, hoping they would lead me to the platform. They walked straight to a wall and before I could shout a warning, they disappeared through it, leaving me gaping like a fish.

I stared at the wall intently, figuring I might as well give it a shot. I quickly followed suit and ran through the wall. Imagine my shock when there was no resistance upon entry. The other side opened into a large train station with strangely dressed people greeting children climbing onto a train.

The conductor was getting ready to take off, so I quickly deposited my things and climbed onto the Hogwarts Express. I walked along the length of the train and finally found Harry's compartment.

"I have arrived!" I entered the cart ceremoniously, bowing with great flair. I looked up to see Harry laughing along with a ginger haired boy I have not met before. "Greetings," I smiled. "The name's Maeve."

"Ron." He introduced himself and we shook hands. I sat next to Ron facing Harry. The train started to move while the three of us got better acquainted. 

Ron looked at Harry. "Is it true? Do you really have..." his words died in his throat.

"The what?" Harry asked.

"The scar." Ron whispered, leaning in.

I looked at Harry, confused. "Oh! You mean this." He cried, lifting his bangs to show a lightning shaped scar on his forehead.

My eyes bulged. "How did you get that?" I asked.

Ron answered for Harry. "Don't you know the story? The night You-Know-Who fell, he gave Harry that scar." He looked back at Harry and half smiled. "Wicked."

I disagreed. If everyone knew about some major event involving a child, then it was most certainly not wicked. It was terrible.

Before I could voice my opinion and ask for an explanation, an old woman with a cart full of candy entered the compartment. "Anything off the trolley, dears?" She asked politely.

"No," Ron sighed. He took out a poorly made sandwich and said. "I'm all set." I did not want to eat that. Poor bugger. 

I guess Harry felt sorry, because next thing I knew he was taking out a handful of wizard money. (Galleons, I heard they were called.) "We'll take the lot." He said, handing the money to the witch and getting a seat's worth of candy in return. It left me wondering where he got the money. Thinking about it, I realised I used his money to pay for my things in Diagon Alley.

The boys started eating Bertie Bott's Every flavoured beans. It seemed like a safe option, so I joined them. Strawberry flavours immediately assaulted my mouth. The next one tasted like blueberries. The next like bubble-gum.

"You know. They really do have all flavours." He mused. "They have chocolate and peppermint, and also spinach and liver." 

Harry's nose crinkled in disgust. "I wonder what spinach tastes like." I think out loud.

"You know." Ron looked at me. "George swears he got a booger flavoured one once."

"Eww!" I cried but continued eating the jellybeans anyway. Harry stopped. He picked up a chocolate frog instead and inspected it. It started moving around in his palm.

"Is it a real frog?" He asked sceptically. Ron looked at what Harry was referring to.

"It's just a spell." He explained. "Besides, it's the cards you want. Each one has a famous witch or wizard on it. I've got about 500 of them."

Harry opened the packet and we all watched as the frog jumped up and out of the window. "Huh," was the only thing I could think of saying.

Harry looked back down and took the card out for all too see. "I got Dumbledore."

"I've got about six of them." Ron boasted. I smiled and looked back at the card. Harry did too and was just as surprised to find Dumbledore missing.

"He's gone!" Harry said.

"Well, you can't expect him to sit around all day." Ron replied casually. I frowned at his words. "This is Scabbers by the way." He said, pointing to the fat rat eating jellybeans on his lap. "Pathetic, isn't he?"

Harry glanced at the rat. "Just a bit."

"Fred gave me a spell that would turn him yellow. Want to see?" He asked, taking out his wand.

I nodded, intrigued. "Of course."

Before he could perform the spell, a frizzy haired girl walked in. "Have any of you seen a toad? A boy named Neville's lost him." She asked.

"No, sorry." Harry answered.

The girl saw Ron's wand and said. "Oh, are you doing magic? Let us see then." Ron cleared his throat and uttered the spell.

"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow. Turn this stupid fat rat yellow." A few seconds passed as we realised nothing happened.

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" Ron shrugged. "It's not a very good one, is it? I've tried a few simple ones myself. They've worked fine." She sat next to Harry and pointed her wand at his glasses. "For example, Oculus Repairo."

The tape that held his glasses together that I did not see earlier suddenly vanished as his glasses seemed to repair themselves.

"That's better." The girl smiled.

"That's a handy trick." I stated. "The spells I learned only destroy stuff."

They looked at me in horror. "Why would you want to learn something like that?" Harry asked.

"To annoy my caretaker." I grinned.

The girl didn't seem impressed and turned back to Harry, who took off his glasses to look at them. Her eyes went wide with amazement. "Holy cricket, you're Harry Potter! I'm Hermione Granger" She stated proudly. "And you are?" She asked me and Ron. 

"Maeve Potts." 

"Ron Weasley." He said with a mouth full of chocolate. 

Hermione scrunched her nose. "Pleasure." She stood up and prepared to leave. She looked back one last time. "You three better put on your robes." She stared straight at Ron and pointed to a spot on her nose. "You've got mud right there."

She turned around and left without another word. Ron was rubbing his nose furiously while I tried to find my robes.

As soon as I found them, I was out the door and looking for a bathroom. I dressed and went back to see Harry and Ron changed as well. 

The rest of the train ride went undisturbed as we talked and made jokes. 

It was after dark when we arrived. All the first years were herded off to boats on a large lake. 

Harry and Ron shared a boat with Hagrid, so after I found Hermione we shared a boat with a girl who couldn't stop talking. The boat ride was still magical.

So, guess what I didn't know. Apparently, Hogwarts was in an actual, real life castle. The building was massive, I am was certain there were more floors than I could count. There were sure to be countless secret passages. Yet, I couldn't wait to try and discover them all. 

Professor McGonagall stood waiting for us. She led the first years inside and moved took us to a massive wooden door. Noise and laughter could be heard coming from the other side.

"Welcome to Hogwarts." Professor McGonagall began. "In a few moments you will walk through those doors and join your classmates. But first, you must be sorted into your houses. There are four. Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. While you are here your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will win your house points. Any rule breaking and you will lose your house points. The house at the end of the year with the most points will win the House Cup."

Professor McGonagall was about to say something when a boy pushed through the crowds, yelled--"Trevor!" --and ran straight to the professor's feet. He picked up an ugly looking toad and slowly walked back into the crowd.

Professor McGonagall looked annoyed, but let it slide. "The Sorting Ceremony will begin shortly." She walked through the doors, closing them behind her.

"So it's true then? Harry Potter really did come to Hogwarts?" Draco said, walking up to my brother.

Chatter broke out around us, everyone trying to get a good look at Harry. Once again, I was left wondering how everyone knew him.

"This is Crabbe, Goyle, and in case you forgot, I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy." He introduced himself and his friends. Ron chuckled at Draco's antics, which only caused him to glare at Ron. "Think my name is funny, do you?" He looked Ron up and down. "Do I even need to ask who you are? Red hair, hand-me-down robe. You must be a Weasley." Ron's laughter stopped abruptly. He glared at Draco with disdain, but the blond just ignored him. Instead, he averted his attention to Harry. "You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are better than others." He sneered at Ron. "Wouldn't want to get caught with the wrong sort. I can help with that."

Harry looked at Ron, then back at Draco. "I think I can find out who the wrong sort are for myself. Thanks." He said, ignoring Draco's outstretched hand.

I grinned. Draco looked utterly deflated. Professor McGonagall returned and ushered us into the room beyond. 

The ceiling looked like the starry night sky outside. It was beautiful. I heard Hermione say something about the ceiling being bewitched, but that couldn't be right, because it was bewitching me.

Glowing lanterns bobbed around beneath the ceiling, adding to the ambience. 

There were four long tables standing parallel to each other. The house tables, I assumed. There was also a table on a raised platform filled with teachers.

A chair waited in the middle of the platform, an old and ugly looking hat resting on it. Children were called to the front one by one. Every time the hat was placed on their head it would yell out the house they got sorted into.

"Potter, Harry." I heard Professor McGonagall call his name and watched as he made his way to the sorting hat. The whole room went silent. I saw he kept mumbling words to the hat. I wonder if he had a silent conversation with it. After a small while, it proclaimed that Harry should be sorted into Gryffindor. He looked relieved. I stayed alert, knowing my name would be called next.

I slowly made my way to the hat. Filled with curiosity by the time it was placed on my head.

Hmm. Where to put you. I heard the hat say. You are intelligent and full of knowledge, like a Ravenclaw should   
be. I looked at the Ravenclaw table. They couldn't be that bad. You're also recourceful and cunning like a Slytherin. Where to put you? I grinned. I liked being called cunning. Then so be it. I'll sort you into... "Slytherin!" It shouted. The table on my far right burst into applause, welcoming me with open arms. I walked toward the table, spotting the girl from the boat ride. As she was the only person I technically knew, I grudgingly sat down next to her.

"I don't think we've formally met," she said while sticking out her hand. "Pansy Parkinson. Charmed."

I shook her hand. "Maeve Potts.”

"If it isn't Mud Blood." A voice sneered behind me. I turned around to see Draco standing behind me, two large goons on either side of him. "I'm surprised you got into Slytherin. Usually, only the best gets in."

I smiled sweetly at him. "Clearly the Sorting Hat must have been confused tonight. I mean, he also let you in. And like you said, only the best is supposed to get in."

I heard an audible gasp from my left. I turned to see Pansy looking at me utterly shocked. She stared at me for a second begore her eyes flew to Draco's. "Don't listen to her Dracy, you are the best! You deserve to be in Slytherin." I rolled my eyes at the girl.

"Are we supposed to stay here until the end of supper?" I ask. Pansy looked at me confused.

"You haven't even eaten anything yet."

"I'm not hungry."

"Of course you're not. You probably got a stomach ache just looking at the food. My guess is you've never seen this much food in one place in your life." That brat! I jumped to my feet and advanced on Draco Malfoy, planning on teaching him a lesson.

Unfortunately, his goons intercepted and stopped me from reaching my target. Malfoy laughed at me from behind the two boulders, watching me struggle.

"Coward!" I shouted, then stormed out of the hall without looking back. My anger dissipated the moment I couldn't hear any more noise coming from behind me.

I looked back, unsure where to go from there. I did not know the place and could easily get lost in the vast halls of the castle.

I recognised the hall as the one we had come through earlier. I retraced my steps and soon found myself outside, basking in the pale moonlight.

I found a bench in the courtyard and sat down. I closed my eyes and passed the time by imagining ways to kill Malfoy.

I suppose more time passed than I expected, for after a while a voice broke me out of my violent thoughts.

"What are you doing out here?" The voice drawled. I opened my eyes to see a black clad figure standing over me.

"It was stuffy inside." Yeah, that was the only excuse I could come up with.

"Of course. A stone castle that was built on a hill, next to a lake, with more windows than Buckingham palace, was stuffy inside." The monotonous voice scratched against my eardrums; the man looked less than pleased to have caught me in a lie. "Come, miss Potts. I shall escort you to your Common Room."

The man briskly headed back inside and passed corridor after corridor. We soon started our descent into the dungeons. I had to run to keep up with the man's long strides. We stopped in front of an empty looking wall. "Pureblood." Suddenly, the wall changed into a secret passageway. “Good night, miss Potts.” He turned around and skulked away.

Putting one foot before the other, I hesitantly made my way through the secret door. On the other side of the door, was a magnificently decorated room. The colours green and silver dominated the room. A portrait of Salazar Slytherin hung above the fireplace. I recognised the snobby looking old man in the painting from reading Hogwarts: A History. That is also how I recognised this place to be the Common Room where students could hang out after class.

I stand awkwardly in the middle of the room, wondering if I should approach the group of first years in the corner. They are all laughing. I take a step in their direction before a tuft of white hair grabs my attention. I hesitate for a moment before turning on my heel and skulking off. 

After probably an hour of looking around, I finally find my room. The interior follows the same design in the common room; the stone walls looking terribly cold and making me shiver. I rub my arms while looking around. The luggage I completely forgot about stands guard in front of the bed in the corner of the room.

I head over to the bed which is obviously mine. Taking my time to pack my clothes into various drawers, I nearly jump out of my skin when a blob of blackness jumps out from under my bed. I let out a shriek but quickly push it down after realising the black blob is just my cat. 

One would think that after several months of owning him, I would get used to his ability to seemingly appear out of thin air. I glare at him, but he just looks at me innocently. His glowing green eyes look into my brown ones. And I kid you not… He was secretly laughing!

I consciously decide to ignore him for the rest of the night. I look away and continue to unpack.

The door opens and the sound of chatter assaults my ears. I cringe from the sudden noise but cringe for an entirely different reason when I see Pansy leading a group of girls over in my direction. 

“Nice to see you again, Maeve.” Pansy says when they reach me. “This is Marguerite of the De Loughrey family and Arriens Abbot. She’s a half-blood. Which is fine because the rest her family is full of purebloods. We have been talking and want to know want to know what your blood status is. Dracy thinks you are a mud blood, but that’s ridiculous because how could you get into Slytherin if you were?”

Pansy points to the two girls next to her then starts to ramble. A cold sweat breaks out on my back as she continues talking. In the months prior to arriving at Hogwarts, I read through all my books bought in Diagon alley. One was about the Origin of witches and wizards. 

I give them a wry smile, “Can’t say I know for sure. I never met my parents.”

“Why not, are they dead?” Arriens pipes up before Pansy can say anything. The choppy haired girl stares at me with wide eyes. I barely withhold the urge to punch her.

“I guess,” I begin, “My caretaker would rather eat a dead rat than tell me. Whenever I bring it up, she just asks if anyone would be stupid enough let an ‘undisciplined wretch’ like me grace their homes. Then a cat fight breaks out and I never get an answer.”

“You fight with the person who takes after you? Why would you intentionally anger them?” Pansy asks?

“How could I not fight with her? She’s terrible! Mrs. Cobbinshaw has a knack for getting under my skin and makes it her life mission to annoy the heck out of me. So I just return the favour.”

The girls look at me rather strangely. Marguerite is the first to speak up, “I think it is fair to call you a half-blood then. Until further enquiry can be made, of course.”

“Sounds good to me!” I agree as the others simply nod their heads. They leave to their respective beds and we all turn in for the night. 

As I climb into bed, my cat pops up and decides to curl up next to me. His soft purrs vibrate through the pillow and soon lulls me to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter ended up being a little longer than I expected, but why complain? c:  
> Constructive criticism always welcome. Kudos and comments!


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